Gas cap leaking

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Toro Super Recycler with Toro 159cc

This is my fourth season with this mower without any problems. Three weeks ago I was just about done mowing when I smelled gas. I looked down and gas is dripping out the cap, appears to be coming from in between the cap and spout. Dealer gave me new cap saying (with out looking at it) it must be the seal. Put new cap on and that seemed to fix the issue. Fast forward a few tanks of gas and same thing, just about done mowing when I smelled gas. You guessed it, cap is leaking. I decided to wait until I mowed again to see what happens so I mowed enough times to go thru the rest of that tank plus a full tank. It does leak less as the tank gets empty but still leaks. This is the weird part, it never starts leaking no matter how much gas is in the tank until I'm almost done mowing, about 20 minutes or so into mowing. I can about say, ok when I get here it's going to start leaking and sure enough it does.

If there was a crack in the spout wouldn't it leak all the time or at least any time gas splashed up that high? Or is it building up pressure from the cap not letting in air and finally gets to the point it pushes it out thru the cap? How about a heat issue since it only happens after it's been running for a while, is the tank getting hot and possibly opening up the crack?

Any thoughts?
 
Contact Toro about it. Could be a known issue and they would rather pay to have it fixed rather than going through a CPSC recall. My parents had a Toro push mower back in the 90's with a plastic fuel tank that leaked and it was recalled for the problem.
 
Originally Posted By: mk378
Check the seal in the new cap. Also check the neck and tank for cracks.


When I got the new cap I compared it to the old one and couldn't see any difference, both had the gasket and looked identical. I can't see any cracks in the filler neck but that doesn't mean there isn't one and I just can't see it.

But why would the new cap work for a few weeks then all of a sudden start leaking if it was the cap, and if there is a crack in the tank why is it not leaking all the time.
 
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Originally Posted By: skyactiv
Contact Toro about it. Could be a known issue and they would rather pay to have it fixed rather than going through a CPSC recall. My parents had a Toro push mower back in the 90's with a plastic fuel tank that leaked and it was recalled for the problem.


I forgot to mention it's still under warranty and is at the dealer now. I was just looking for some some insight, to me it's very strange it doesn't leak all the time and only after it's been running for a bit.
 
Uhhmn, Make a gasket for the cap. If you don't have any real gasket material, use a piece cut from a cereal box or a cracker box.
 
It is probably the vent on the cap not working properly or cheaply designed. I have seen this with a few different engines, most of them the Chinese knock off engines which is what I assume this Toro branded engine is.
 
It's possible the new cap developed the same leak as the old. Like said, some of these Chonda engine plastics and rubbers are terrible. The cap is shot on the LCT engine on my ~2-3yr/old Ariens snowblower due to cracking.

You need to do some more troubleshooting. Could be the threaded portion of the tank as well.
 
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If the tank is near empty, why is there even any gas near the fill cap?
Doesn't sound right. A little splashed gas shouldn't leak out, especially
since a full tank doesn't do that.
Just for giggles, try mowing with the cap not tightened all the way and see
if that changes things.


My 2¢
 
Thought I update this. Got the mower back from the dealer with new cap and it's still leaking, this is the third cap including the original. He said he let it sit and run thru a whole tank and it didn't leak. Again the weird part about this whole deal is it doesn't leak even with a full tank at the start of mowing, it's always after I've been mowing for 20 minutes or so.

When I went back the next day the dealer said the only thing he can think of is to try replacing the tank. So I'll keep this updated if nothing else for someone searching down the road.
 
So the dealer put the new tank on and I picked it up yesterday morning and came home and mowed and believe it or not it is still leaking. Again, not until I'm 3/4 into mowing. I'm having a hard time believing I'm getting faulty parts like this but I guess it's possible.

What's bothering me now is if it isn't the tamk/cap leaking what the problem is, I'm about half afraid to even use it.

Is it possible the tank is building up pressure as the gas is being drawn out thru the carb?
 
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Are you sure they really replaced the tank? If they cranked it up and it was not leaking, would they have replaced it. I'd mark the tank somewhere so you know if it gets replaced.
 
Originally Posted By: spasm3
Are you sure they really replaced the tank? If they cranked it up and it was not leaking, would they have replaced it. I'd mark the tank somewhere so you know if it gets replaced.


I could tell it was new, the old one had a scratch on it that was fairly good size and I seen the old one sitting next to it when I picked it up, but I guess anything is possible.
 
If the engine is drawing fuel out of the tank, you'd have a
vacuum in the tank, but only if the vent in the cap was clogged/plugged.
This doesn't make sense as the tank would be close to empty when it starts leaking.
Try cracking the cap open about half way through mowing once and see if it still
'leaks'. New tank needs a new cap, but you've already changed that.
It's a mystery.
confused.gif
 
When I went back after they replaced the tank and told him it was still leaking we ended the conversation with him saying he would call someone at Toro and let me know what he found out. This was Saturday the 4th. I hadn't heard anything so yesterday the 8th I decided to stop down. Who ever he talked to told him that he needed to come watch me mow that they don't believe it. In my mind I'm thinking What the [censored] but said that is fine I will call you saturday when I'm ready to mow.

Was just wondering what you think of this coming out to watch me mow?
 
Originally Posted By: Duffyjr
When I went back after they replaced the tank and told him it was still leaking we ended the conversation with him saying he would call someone at Toro and let me know what he found out. This was Saturday the 4th. I hadn't heard anything so yesterday the 8th I decided to stop down. Who ever he talked to told him that he needed to come watch me mow that they don't believe it. In my mind I'm thinking What the [censored] but said that is fine I will call you saturday when I'm ready to mow.

Was just wondering what you think of this coming out to watch me mow?


Didn't know they did this. I wonder what he gets paid for that.
 
Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Originally Posted By: Duffyjr
When I went back after they replaced the tank and told him it was still leaking we ended the conversation with him saying he would call someone at Toro and let me know what he found out. This was Saturday the 4th. I hadn't heard anything so yesterday the 8th I decided to stop down. Who ever he talked to told him that he needed to come watch me mow that they don't believe it. In my mind I'm thinking What the [censored] but said that is fine I will call you saturday when I'm ready to mow.

Was just wondering what you think of this coming out to watch me mow?


Didn't know they did this. I wonder what he gets paid for that.


It's under warranty so I guess they expect him to do what ever it takes. I feel bad he has to come out and watch me mow, I guess they must think I'm trying to pull a fast one on them but why would I do that and what would a stand to gain. If I wanted a new mower I'd drain all the oil and run it until it stopped them put the old oil back in. I love this mower and plan on keeping it for a long time.

Here is a pic I took the with the old tank right after it started to leak, it's pretty obvious where it's leaking from.

 
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Toro guy showed up and I was actually surprised to see it was the owner. While I was mowing he took pictures of my yard. I was really worried that it wouldn't leak while he was there but it did and right when I had been telling him, about 3/4 into mowing.

He says it's coming out the vent in the cap but doesn't know why and took more pictures of it leaking.

I can't wait to find out what they say now, I'm sure they thought I was crazy.
 
Just got back from the Toro dealed and I'm a little on the frustrated side and starting to get a little angry.

They don't appear to be wanting to fix this issue. After he sent the pictures to who ever, they told him the mover must have a vibration, or at least this is what he is telling me they said. I looked at him and said you know it isn't vibrating, he agreed. I asked him if he ever had a mower that was vibrating so bad is was leaking gas, of course he said no.

To make a long story short I asked "so what do we do now"? His answer was "I don't know". Thru the 15 minute conversation I asked him "what do we do know" about a half dozen times and he always answered "I don't know". This tells me they are not going to acknowledge there is a problem.

Am I wrong in thinking this should be covered in the warranty?

I really need some advice, I have never had to deal with a company that refused to work with me on a warranty. Do I try and call Toro and go above him? If so who would I ask to talk to?

My wife says they should give me my money back or a new mower. She also says we can take him to small claims court which is fine but that will take time and do I go buy a new/used mower or keep using this one and hope it doesn't catch fire.
 
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